San Antonio’s wow factor skyrockets on ‘X Factor’

Memo to San Antonio (yes, even you, who hates reality shows): This is indeed the season to watch “X Factor.”

The Fox show’s second season is barely out of the gate, and already the Alamo City can claim four standouts. Each has earned high praise and has advanced to the next round – boot camp.

The two latest sensations impressed the judges Wednesday night with completely different singing styles and personalities

Ally Brooke, 19, looked and acted like a pop star already in her cute Fedora and ‘40s-style shorts.

She was effusive and spunky and seemed to be counting the successes she would have – including clothes and perfume lines – before even stepping onto the stage. When she did come out, she sang Jaci Velasquez’s “On My Knees” with such confidence – “That’s how you do it,” Simon Cowell muttered –that she couldn’t seem to stop.

The judges, if fact, had to cut her off. But that didn’t matter; they loved her anyway.

“I was really surprised; I felt like you should be on Broadway because your voice has such a theatrical dynamic,” Britney Spears said. Simon Cowell added: “I have a feeling we’re looking at a future star here.”

The most poignant and powerful Austin audition was saved for last, however.

Jessica Espinoza, 22, not only delivered a heart-wrenching performance of Pink’s “Nobody Knows,” but told a story that brought tears to many sitting in the audience.

“I know what it’s like to be hungry,” Espinoza revealed. “Where I come from, the south side of San Antonio, we were performing at Market Square for tips. We had holes in our shoes [and] we had holes in our clothes.”

On “X Factor,” Wednesday, the Harlandale High grad also had holes in her clothes – up and down her jeans – but it was the rawness of her talent that left the judges with stunned faces throughout.

Spears looked as if she might cry right there. Afterwards, she tweeted accolades about Espinoza: “Jessica gave me chills in my judging chair and again right now on TV. Go girl! And did u see her mom singing along? How cute!” — https://twitter.com/britneyspears

The rest of the judges? A tearful, shaking Espinoza looked genuinely surprised by their reaction.

“Wow, you are really special,” music producer L.A. Reid told Espinoza. “What I really love about you is that you really dig so deeply, inside of yourself and come out with all of that emotion, yet you are not ordinary.”

“You have a sparkle in your eye that you only see with people that have ‘The X Factor,’” Demi Lovato said.

As for “The X Factor” creator, known as Simon “Scowl,” because of his tough criticism of contestants, Espinoza was his “favorite audition of the night” and his “easiest yes.”

“I love you. I love everything about you. I love that you come out here whatever your background, whatever your hardships,” Cowell added. “You sang for your life, 22 years old with that kind of emotion, that rawness, that power, it’s distinctive.”

Jessica certainly left my eyes wet and my soul longing for more, much more, from this amazing individual.

“Puro San Antonio” is how one woman on Facebook so adeptly described Jessica. She’s so right. There’s nothing phony nor manufactured about this singer, which is something you don’t find very often in this commercial age.